Tuesday, November 19, 2013

book review: Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

The backstory: Someone Else's Love Story is the November SheReads Book Club selection.The basics: Shandi Pierce, a twenty-one-year-old college student raising three-year-old genius Natty, meets William Ashe, a man devastated by the loss of his wife and daughter, when they're both in a Circle K when it's robbed. This strong, shared connection lingers as they navigateMy thoughts: I've heard so many of you singing the praises of Joshilyn Jackson for years, so I was excited the SheReads Book Club finally forced me to read one of her novels. I picked it up knowing nothing about it, and I particularly appreciated the novels surprises because they were unexpected. Shandi and William take turns narrating the story, and I enjoyed seeing their shared experiences through both of their eyes. Initially, the pace felt slow. I longed for the first part, when they're held hostage in the Circle K, to end. I could sense the entire novel wouldn't take place in the Circle K, and I wanted to know what would happen to all of them after the robbery. Admittedly, I enjoyed the novel more once the after became the present. Each time I started to lose faith in the story, Jackson pulled me back in with a surprising twist that explained away my hesitations. While I didn't know what to expect when I started Someone Else's Love Story, my expectations kept changing as I read and the story moved in surprising directions.The verdict: Someone Else's Love Story is a novel filled with humor, grace, friendship, and love. It's also a novel with quite a few unexpected turns. These turns kept me turning the pages and celebrating the delicate humanity of the characters.Rating: 4 out of 5Length: 320 pagesPublication date: November 19, 2013Source: publisher via SheReads Book ClubConvinced? Treat yourself! Buy Someone Else's Love Story from an independent bookstore, the Book Depository or Amazon (Kindle edition.)